As I feared, the most difficult part of the #Dungeon23 project (for me) isn't writing a room every day, it's posting the work on a timely basis.
Between spring landscaping projects, freelance writing projects, and running two D&D campaigns (one weekly campaign online and one bi-weekly campaign irl), most of my free time is spent creating the D23 content. The content is done, I just haven't had much extra time to post it to the blog.
This posting (for week #9) still puts me a full week (#10) behind, which becomes two weeks if I don't post again by this weekend (the current week is #11). My goal is to finish this week's rooms, take pictures of my completed pages, transcribe the pages into a doc, and then post the last two weeks by this weekend (or early next week). That will completely catch me up. I predict falling behind again, though.
I'm fairly pleased with the development of the dungeon so far (one-fifth of the total). It's holding my daily creative interest, and I've sketched out the entire thing in broad strokes, so that's a great sign for being able to complete it.
I was trying to create Tunnels Beneath the Earth completely from scratch (stealing just a few unused ideas from old notebooks which seemed to fit the theme), but elements from my Deep Vaults megadungeon concept began bleeding heavily into TuBE. I finally came to terms with the fact that I will likely never get around to finishing DV, so I may as well just merge the two concepts together.
It's not a wholesale union; the factions are all different, for example, and TuBE's scale utterly dwarfs DV's, but I'm stealing many of the sci-fantasy elements I liked from DV (particularly the crystals and some of the weird technology). I introduced a bit of that material in Level 3 (starting this week), and I started calling the "impervious blue metal" by its new, super-obvious name: impervium.
I have some regrets about how I structured the dungeon at the beginning. I wasn't thinking about the calendar dates; I was looking at the project as 7 rooms per section, with 52 sections total over 12 levels. I did not take into account that each month doesn't have 28 days (only one does, in fact...who knew??). I don't want to just switch over to the calendar-less format because I like the conceit of having a monthly level theme.
This isn't that big a deal, structurally, but it means most of the weekly blog postings will cover pieces of two different sections, instead of one clean section at a time. Then at the end of the month, I have to add 2-3 "bonus" rooms to close out the calendar month/dungeon level.
If I could do it over, I would key my rooms to the calendar date. I think a lot of people did it that way, but I am dumb and took a weird approach to the structure. I may try to fix that situation here shortly.
"The Upper Caves"
Level 2 (FEB) – The Caves Between
Section 4, Cont. (02/22 – 02/28)
Scale: Each square = 20x20 ft.
2.4.5 Umber Hulks (02/26)
Open cave with a 20-ft. high ceiling hung with stalactites. The air is filled
with a sound like metal scraping stone. To the south, a pair of umber hulks steadily excavate the rock wall. If one umber hulk is killed, the other retreats by burrowing into the wall/floor.
- Umber Hulk (AC 2, HD 8+8, HP 41,50; AT 3; DAM 3-12/3-12/1-10; SA Confusion gaze (save vs. magic))
This area is accessed by following a narrow pebble beach clinging to one wall of the river gorge, and then hopping down some rocks to another beach where natural stone steps ascend to an isolated cave. One of Troval's glyphs (2.4.1) is painted in bright yellow midway down the beach.
–Inside the cave is a lonely campsite where the skeletal remains of a magic-user lie on a moldering bedroll. Mysterious symbols are painted in bright yellow on the west wall.
- If translated, the message reads: "This is it. Badly wounded. Out of food. River level rose so no way out. Tomorrow I'll throw myself into the whirlpool."
Found on Troval's body are: 234 ep, 144 gp, 91 pp (in ancient coins); (4) gems = 10x2, 40x1, 100x1; (3) jewelry = electrum medallion (60 gp), silver pendant with sapphires (1,900 gp), silver and gold choker (800 gp); (2) scrolls: Friends and Strength; a Potion of Fire Resistance; and a 6-in. tall, 3-in. diam. "stainless steel" cylinder with a yellow button on one end.
- On the outside of the cylinder, just below the end with the button, is a pin-sized hole.
- Shaking the canister produces a rattling sound.
- Pressing the button causes a stream of yellow, phosphorescent paint to spray from the pinhole.
- Spraying out an average word of 5-10 characters or a 12x12-in. symbol (such as an arrow) uses (1) charge. The canister has 231 charges remaining.
- The paint is permanent but can be removed with a Dispel Magic spell.
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2.4.7 Whirlpool Gorge (02/27)
Past the last set of rapids, the subterranean river gorge slopes precipitously down toward a powerful vortex. Anyone caught in the current here is swept down a deep hole down to Dungeon Level 4 (and
likely drowned).
- Just below the whirlpool's surface, a tunnel from 4.3.6d empties into the gyre.
LEVEL 3 – The City of the Ancients
This level consists of crumbling, but largely intact structures of cyclopean stones that crack and buckle under great strain—compressed by the levels above.
–The ruins are inhabited by several hordes of humanoids—the descendants of previous inhabitants of the city, twisted and transformed by centuries of exposure to the Machines of the Gods.
- Grimlocks – Blind cannibals that hide in the cracks and crevices of the city to ambush unwary victims.
Gibberlings – Insane, hairy, cannibalistic halflings that roam the dungeons in packs, searching for prey. They fight in swarms to overwhelm a target. They are fearless and won't stop attacking until dead. Noisy!!
- Minotaurs – Beast-men that form press gangs to hunt sacrifices for the arena masters.
ENCOUNTERS (1:d6 per turn; 1-in-3 encounters is a hazard)
- Common = [3d3*] Carrion Cat (ATWM I), Death Dogs (FF), Gibberlings (FF), Grimlocks (FF), Huge Scorpions, Osquips (FF), TYPE 1 HAZARD
Uncommon = [2d3*] Ankhegs, Blindheim (FF), Cave Lizard, Giant Scorpions, Minotaurs, Rust Monsters, TYPE 2 HAZARD
- Rare = [1d3*] Basilisk, Displacer Beasts, Eye Killers (FF), Gargoyles*, Mimics, TYPE 3 HAZARD
Unique = [1] Temple Sentry (2.3.7), "The Librarian" (2.2.7), Skorpataur +1d3 Giant Scorpions (3.4.5), Medusa (3.4B.3), TYPE 4 HAZARD
HAZARDS
These hazards are prevalent throughout DUNGEON LEVEL 3.
–Hazard Table
2d6 Result
2 Tremors
3-4 Miasma
5-6 Loose Stonework
7-8 Steam Blast
9-10 Substance
11 Physical Anomaly
12 Crystal Bloom
–Hazard Descriptions
- Crystal Bloom: (1d3* x TYPE#) individual clusters of "raw" crystal (of varying states and colors) grow from the walls/ceiling/floor (see section on Crystals).
- Cluster's "State" (2d6) 2 = Dead (Milky), 3-8 = Dormant, 9-11 = Active, 12 = Pluming
- Cluster's "Color" (if not Dead) (1d8): 1 = Red, 2 = Orange, 3 = Yellow, 4 = Green, 5 = Blue, 6 = Dark Purple, 7 = Light Purple, 8 = Clear.
- Loose Stonework: A random PC is struck by (2d6): 2-3 = Collapsing Wall: (TYPE#d8) damage* plus pinned under rubble (takes TYPE# turns to extricate); 4-10 = Falling Stone: (TYPE#d10) damage*; 11-12 = Sinkhole: As pit* (5xTYPE#)-ft. diam. by twice that deep. (*Save vs. petrification for half damage (nat-20 = avoid).)
- Miasma: (10 x TYPE#) ft. diam. cloud; moves 10 ft. per round in a random direction; duration = 1d3+1 hours. Roll effect (1d6): 1 = Cloudkill (as spell); 2 = Crystal Plume (see Crystals); 3 = Incendiary Cloud (as spell); 4 = Spore Cloud (3.4B.3); 5 = Stinking Cloud (as spell); 6 = Toxic Gas (TYPE#d6 respiratory damage/round, save vs. breath for half).
- Physical Anomaly: (10xTYPE#)-ft. rad. area (no save). Roll effect (1d6): 1 = Anti-Magic Zone (as spell); 2 = Dimensional Disturbance (affected as Blink spell); 3 = Gravitational Field (EITHER High-/Low-Gravity = doubles/halves encumbrance, affected as Slow/Jump spells; OR Reverse Gravity = as spell); 4 = Silence (as spell); 5 = Temperature Shift (hot/cold = TYPE#d6 damage/round); 6 = Time Distortion (affected as Slow/Haste + aging).
- Steam Blast: A cone (5 x TYPE#)-ft. long with a base = half the length; select a random point and direction. Roll effect (1d6): 1 = Acidic (TYPE#d8 damage* to organic creatures/materials); 2 = Corrosive (outer layer of inorganic items must save* or be destroyed); 3 = Hot/Cold (TYPE#d6 damage*); 4 = Poisonous (1d6 damage/round for 3d4 rounds, save for half); 5 = Radioactive (save* or die in 1d4 turns); 6 = Super-heated/-cooled ((3xTYPE#)d6 damage*). (*Save vs. breath for half damage (nat-20 = avoid).)
- Substance: (10 x TYPE#)-ft. rad. area (no save); duration = 2d6 days. Roll form (1d6): 1 = Acid (TYPE#d8 damage*/round); 2 = Fungal (choose one: brown mold, phycomid (MMII), shrieker, violet fungi, yellow mold); 3 = Mutagenic Ooze (1.2.6); 4 = Slime (choose one: harmless but gross, green slime, purple slime); 5 = Toxic Waste (lose 1 point of CON and suffer instant paralysis for 3d4 hours; at end of each hour, save vs. death or lose another point of CON); 6 = Water (choose one: fresh, pestilent, or rancid)
- Tremors: Select a random point: Everyone in a [10xTYPE] ft. rad. area suffers a "Loose Stonework" effect.
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"The Palace"
Level 3 (MAR) – The City of the Ancients
Section 1 (03/01 – 03/07)
3.1.1 The Stone Egg (03/01)
The stairs from 2.1.2 descend 50 ft. to the southern end of a long hall with a 15-ft. arched ceiling. At its mid-point, the hall expands to a 50-ft. diam. chamber with a 25-ft. high domed ceiling. Floating in the center of this chamber—roughly 2 ft. off the floor—is a stone egg (5-ft. high x 3.5 ft. diam. at its widest). On the east wall of the central chamber is a door-sized panel of impervium. At the north end of the hall is a 10-ft. wide open archway with a threshold of impervium.
–The egg is carved with row upon row of alien symbols—thousands of them winding around the entire surface. Nothing short of a Wish can move or dislodge the egg from its position. The first person to touch it receives a flood of mental images about the history of this place: Roll save vs. spell...
- Success = The subject learns the bulk of the info from 1.4B.2 (save details about the Throne of the Gods). They also learn the basic layout of the ancient city (Palace, Library, Temple, Arena, Pleasure Domes) and that there are extensive gardens on the level below this one.
Failure = The images overwhelm the subject, who gains no usable info and also picks up a mild, obsessive insanity.
–The door-sized impervium panel has no handle or fittings, but a 3x5-in. rectangle of orange crystal is set into the wall next to it at waist level. Tapping the crystal causes it to flicker (roll 1d6):
1-3 = Nothing happens.
4-5 = The crystal "sparks" and the door shifts slightly.
6 = The door slides open.
- The open door slides shut automatically after one minute. An identical crystal panel opens/closes the door from the opposite side.
–The open archway/impervium threshold has a similar crystal in the wall next to it. Tapping the crystal causes it to glow as a pair of impervium doors slides shut across the archway, sealing the portal in 10 seconds (then the crystal ceases to glow). Tapping it again causes the doors to slide open.
The doors are malfunctioning, however; stepping across the open threshold (or passing an object through it) causes the doors to snap shut in an instant. Anyone caught between them must roll their DEX score or less on 1d20...
- Fail by 5 or less = 4d10 damage (or half damage if the DEX check succeeds)
- Fail by more than 5 or roll nat-20 = Subject is cut in half (dead).
Someone who takes a running start and rolls their DEX or less on 1d20 can pass safely through the portal.
3.1.2 Water Channel (03/02)
The pipe shaft from 2.1.3c descends 50 ft. to a ceramic-tiled chamber with a 20-ft. high domed ceiling. An empty pool (15 ft. deep) in the center—directly beneath the shaft opening—is surrounded by a 5-ft. wide walkway. A 10-ft. wide x 10-ft. deep channel (dashed line on map) exits the pool and "flows" out of the room through a 20-ft. wide arched passage running west.
–An impervium drain cover (with 6-in. diam. drain holes) on the pool floor covers a shaft that leads to DUNGEON LEVEL 4 (4.1._).
- If water is pumping from 2.1.4, it fills the central pool and then flows out through the channels into other areas. The drain moderates the water level to fill the pool/channel to a 9-ft. depth.
3.1.3 Tentacle Garden (03/03)
The chamber is filled from wall-to-wall with a "carpet" of 4-5 ft. high, 8-12-in. diam. spongy cilia. Palest yellow in color, the tentacles wave gently like grass in wind.
- Passing through the room cleans dirt and debris off outer garments, armor, gear, etc.
Over several days, the acid is sufficient to eat through cloth, paper, etc. Given enough time, the acid will dissolve anything exposed to it.
–Damaging the tentacles in any way causes the entire mass of tentacles to flush red with anger. Anyone inside the mass when it angers suffers constricting attacks (as strangleweed).
3.1.4 Chamber of Blue Crystal (03/04)
The passage crosses an impervium threshold just a few feet shy of the end. The remainder of the passage and the entire chamber beyond is carved from a massive piece of blue crystal. The walls, ceiling (flat, 15-ft. high), and floor are seamless and perfectly smooth, with virtually no imperfections other than some apparent damage to the floor, where a faint glow pulses hazily. Six crystal columns rise from diamond-shaped daises (1-ft. high) along the walls.
–The crystal surfaces are translucent, but the thickness can only be visually gauged to a depth of 10-12 in. (though it might be MUCH thicker). The crystal daises and pillars are carved from the same, single mass of crystal.
–The hazy glow on the floor surrounds a cracked gash–the obvious result of a well-placed blow from some sharp instrument (the grimlock rebel-leader's axe (2.1.6)). Several fragments of crystal are clearly missing from the 6-in. cut.
- Damaging the crystal surfaces requires first rolling a nat-20 with a +1 (or better) weapon, and then doing 10 or more points of damage with the attack.
Each additional magic "plus" of the weapon reduces the required d20 result by 1 (e.g., +2 weapon req. rolling '19' or '20' to damage the crystal).
- Each 10 points of damage chips off 1d3* crystal slivers.
Each sliver chipped off creates a shower of energetic sparks, 1d4 of which fly off and hit random targets within 100 ft. (even around corners). Each spark strikes as a Magic Missile.
- NOTE: Anyone struck by a spark who subsequently carries one of the crystal slivers gains +1 to all saving throws. This bonus ends if the person is ever killed (even if brought back to life).
Touching a sliver to a damaged area causes the crystal surface to reabsorb the sliver and repair some of the damage.
- When all the crystal slivers from 2.1.6 (~5-7 pieces) are recovered and reabsorbed into the damaged floor, the entire chamber begins to glow softly and hum. Throughout the entire dungeon, blue crystal blooms are now "Dormant" on a roll of 3-5 on 2d6, and "Active" on 6-11 (see Crystals).
__________
– END OF "WEEK" 9 –
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